ML093380260
| ML093380260 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/30/2009 |
| From: | Spivack I NRC/NRR/DLR/RPOB |
| To: | Nuclear Energy Institute |
| Spivack I, DLR/RPOB, 415-2564 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML093380256 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML093380260 (5) | |
Text
December 30, 2009 ORGANIZATION: Nuclear Energy Institute
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF THE LICENSE RENEWAL TELECONFERENCE BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE REGARDING CLASS 1 SMALL BORE PIPING SOCKET WELDS The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the staff) staff and representatives of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) held a teleconference on December 4, 2009, in a Category 2 public meeting, to discuss aging management of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code Class 1 small bore socket welds. Enclosures to this letter are: (1) list of meeting participants; (2) meeting handout of NEIs search results on operating experience on Class 1 small bore socket welds (ADAMS ML093380258); and (3) meeting handout of NRCs search results on operating experience on Class 1 small bore socket welds (ADAMS ML093380259).
The objective of this meeting was to receive input from industry and the public pertaining to operating experience on Class 1 small bore socket welds. NRC staff stated that no official staff position would be decided in this meeting.
NEI and the industry members participating in the teleconference discussed their operating experience search results on Class 1 small bore socket welds. NEI stated that they found that the majority of Class 1 small bore socket weld failures resulted from high cycle fatigue (HCF) are design issues, which are not age-related degradation issues. NEI took the position that cracking due to HCF is not an aging effect requiring management (AERM) for the period of extended operation. NEI also stated that there currently is not any qualified inspection technique for detecting cracking in Class 1 small bore socket welds. NEI also discussed the possibility of performing destructive examinations on a sample of Class 1 small bore socket welds, but informed the staff that it would be a challenge to determine which sample size of Class 1 small bore socket welds would be statistically significant.
During the meeting, NRC discussed the results of its operating experience search on Class 1 small bore socket weld failures with NEI. The NRC staff asked the industry if they found any failures of Class 1 small bore socket welds due to inter-granular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) or low cycle fatigue. NEI responded that there was some operating experience in the industry with IGSCC-induced or low cycle fatigue-induced failures of Class 1 small bore socket welds.
The staffs basis for identifying applicable aging effects is given in Section A.1.2.1 of NRC Branch Position RLSB-1 (Appendix A.1 of NUREG-1800, Revision 1, Standard Review Plan for Review of License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants. [SRP-LR]) Under the guidance of this branch position, cracking of Class 1 small bore socket welds would need to be managed if it was induced by an age-related aging effect. Thus, the staff informed NEI that cracking in the Class 1 small bore socket welds would need to be managed for the period of extended operation if it were induced by an age-related degradation mechanism, such as IGSCC or cyclical loading (e.g., cyclical loading induced by cyclical thermal or mechanical fatigue loads). The industry would need to provide technical justification if they determine that cracking due to HCF is not an applicable aging effect for the period of extended operation.
NEI The staff acknowledged that Aging Management Program (AMP) XI.M35, One Time Inspection of ASME Code Class 1 Small Bore Piping, in NUREG-1801, Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report, Revision 1, Volume 2 (Generic Aging Lesson Learned [GALL] Report) Section does not explicitly address Class 1 small bore socket welds. The staff informed NEI that the NRC is currently in the process of updating the SRP-LR and GALL Report and that the is considering incorporating information about this issue in future updates.
No member of the public provided comments or asked questions during this teleconference.
The staff will discuss this topic further with NEI and members of the industry during either the public meetings that will be held with NEI on January 4-7, 2010 or a subsequent teleconference.
/RA by Matthew Homiack for/
Ian F. Spivack, Mechanical Engineer Program Operations Branch Division of License Renewal Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosures:
As stated cc w/encls: See next page
ML093380256 (Package), ML093380260 (Meeting Summary/Enclosure 1), ML093380258 (Enclosure 2), ML093380259 (Enclosure 3)
OFFICE ME:RPOB:DLR LA:RPOB:DLR BC:RARB:DLR BC:RPOB:DLR NAME ISpivack SFigueroa JDozier DVotolato (JMedoff for)
DATE 12/11/09 12/11/09 12/30/09 12/30/09 OFFICE PM:RPOB:DLR DATE ISpivack (Signature)
(MHomiack for)
OFFICE 12/30/09
PARTICIPANT LIST LICENSE RENEWAL MEETING BETWEEN THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF AND THE NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTE December 4, 2009 PARTICIPANT AFFILIATION Samson Lee U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Jerry Dozier NRC Ian Spivack NRC Allen Hiser NRC Bart Fu NRC Barry Elliot NRC Dori Votolato NRC Mike Modes NRC John Tsao NRC Chris Mallner Progress Energy Julie Keys Nuclear Energy Institute Eric Clocher Strategic Team and Resource Sharing Alliance Al Fulvio Exelon Corporation Dave Flyte Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Cliff Coster FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Alan Cox Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Al Pei Rob Tar Paul Cervanlen Lewis Tah Angie Cramic David Nuddle Mike Sallon Ted Ivy Kurt Bock Bill Bryant Ken Chew ENCLOSURE 1
Nuclear Energy Institute cc:
Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner Mr. Garry G. Young State Liaison Officer Manager, License Renewal Services Department of Public Service 1448 SR 333, N-GSB-45 112 State Street, Drawer 20 Russellville, AR 72802 Montipelier, VT 05620-2601 Ms. Lorrie Bell, Project Manager Mr. Albert Fulvio Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation Manager License Renewal P.O. Box 411 Exelon Corporation Burlington, KS 66839 200 Exelon Way Kennett Square, PA 19348 Mr. Roger Stewart Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc.
Mr. Clifford I. Custer 3581 West Entrance Road Project Manager, License Renewal RNP A9 FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company Hartsville, SC 29550 P.O. Box 4 Route 168 (Mail Stop SIM-2) Mr. Michael H. Crowthers, Supervisor Shippingport, PA 15077 Nuclear Regulatory Affairs PPL Susquehanna, LLC Mr. Paul Gunter, Director Two North Ninth Street (GENPL4)
Reactor Watchdog Project Allentown, PA 18101-1179 Nuclear Information & Resource Service 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 340 Mr. Michael A. Balduzzi Takoma Park, MD 20912 Sr. Vice President & COO Regional Operations, NE Mr. Hugh Jackson Entergy Nuclear Operations Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy & 440 Hamilton Avenue Environment Program White Plains, NY 10601 215 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003 Mr. Chalmer Myer 40 Inverness Center Parkway Post Office Box 1295 Birmingham, AL 35201 Ms. Mary Olson Nuclear Information & Resource Service Southeast Office P.O. Box 7586 Asheville, NC 28802